The Structure and Syllabus of General Studies Paper IV

The UPSC conducts the Civil Services Exam in three stages every year. The first stage is the Preliminary Examination consisting of two papers, the second is the Mains Examination which consists of nine papers, followed by a Personality Test Interview.

Out of nine papers in the Mains, four are General Studies Papers covering a wide variety of subjects.

In this series of articles, we are discussing the structure and syllabus of the General Studies Papers for the Mains Examination. This article focuses on the structure of the General Studies Paper IV and the Subjects that it covers.

The General Studies Paper IV covers the following subjects:

Ethics

Integrity

Aptitude

This paper tests the candidate’s approach to the issues of integrity and probity while dealing with public life. It also tests the candidate’s approach to problem-solving and conflict resolution.

This paper may have a slight overlap of topics with Governance and Social Justice Subjects from General Studies II in the Civil Service Examination mains papers but is largely independent of the syllabus of other GS papers.

Structure of UPSC Mains General Studies Paper IV

The following are the important features of the General Studies IV paper:

The paper consists of twelve questions with these divided into two sections. Before 2018, there were fourteen questions, though now the complexity has been increased and the number of questions has been reduced.

All the questions are compulsory

The questions are of 10 marks and 20 marks depending on the length of the answer required. The 10 marks questions need answers within 150 words while the 20 marks questions need answers within 250 words.

The total marks allotted to this paper are 250 marks.

The questions are of two types:

Direct concept related questions which test the candidate’s understanding of ethical issues and concepts related to integrity and aptitude(125 marks)

Case studies which test the candidate’s application of those concepts to situations involving the candidate and other stakeholders such as politicians, pressure groups, the public and other people(125 marks)

This paper is the most variable of the four General Studies Papers and the nature of questions differ widely from year to year. Candidates should familiarise themselves with the syllabus, and last few year’s patterns as well.

The key takeaway from this paper is that it tests the candidate’s honesty and integrity along with their problem solving and conflict resolution skills.

Syllabus of UPSC Mains General Studies Paper IV

The following is the Detailed Syllabus for General Studies IV Paper in the UPSC Mains Examination:

Topics

Subtopics

Ethics and Human Interface

Essence of Ethics, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics in Human Interaction

Dimensions of Ethics

Ethics in private and public relationships

Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators

Role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating moral and ethical values

Attitude

Content, structure and function of attitude

Influence of attitude in thought and behaviour

Relation of attitude to thought and behaviour

Moral and Political attitudes

Social influence and persuasion

Aptitude

Aptitude and foundational values of Civil Service

Integrity

Impartiality and non-partisanship

Objectivity

Dedication to public service

Empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections of the society

Emotional Intelligence

Concepts of emotional intelligence

Utility and application of emotional intelligence in administration and governance

Contributions of Thinkers and Philosophers

Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world to the concepts of morality

Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration

Status and associated problems

Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions

Laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance

Accountability and ethical governance

Strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance

Ethical Issues in international relations and funding

Corporate governance

Probity in Governance

Concept of public service

The philosophical basis of governance and probity

Information sharing and transparency in government

Right to Information

Codes of ethics

Codes of Conduct

Citizen’s Charters

Work culture

Quality of service delivery

Utilization of public funds

Challenges of corruption

This paper relies heavily on case studies which are the most scoring parts of the paper. The candidates should be able to analyse their own reactions to various situations and apply concepts dealt with in this paper on their actions and reactions to various situations while dealing with their social circle. Reading on philosophers and thinkers as well as administrators who are considered role models is a must for being successful in this paper. Also, remembering that the paper is about you and your moral compass is important, you always have to look at each issue from the angle of every stakeholder and choose the most ethical and least selfish option for yourself.

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